Arrangement for and method of dynamically managing electrical power between an electrical power source and an electrical load

ABSTRACT

Electrical power is dynamically managed among one or more power sources and one or more loads. A plurality of monitor nodes is connected to an input terminal connected to each source, and to an output terminal connected to each load. A plurality of electrical power storage cells is connected among the input and output terminals, each cell being capable of storing power from at least one of the sources and being capable of discharging stored power to at least one of the loads. A plurality of controllable switches is connected to the cells. A programmed controller dynamically monitors operating conditions at the monitor nodes during operation of each source and each load, and selectively dynamically controls the switches to interconnect the cells in different circuit topologies in response to the monitored operating conditions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Powered systems for supplying alternating current (AC) and directcurrent (DC) electrical power from a myriad of non-renewable energysources that typically burn hydrocarbon fuel in engine-generators,turbine-generators, thermal-electric generators, fuel cells, etc., andfrom a myriad of renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic cells,wind generators, hydroelectric devices, biomass generators, solarthermal systems, geothermal systems, etc., for delivery to variouselectrical inductive loads, such as motors and ballasts for fluorescentor vapor-arc lighting, and/or resistive loads, such as common filamentlight bulbs, and/or capacitive loads, such as capacitive motor starters,are well known. Since photovoltaic cells and wind generators, forexample, depend upon an unpredictable availability of the source ofenergy, e.g. sunlight or wind, such renewable energy sources typicallyproduce unpredictable, unregulated AC or DC power with uncontrolledfrequency or voltage levels at uncertain, variable times. Hence, poweredsystems utilizing such sources typically collect and store energy in aDC battery bank over time, then apply the stored DC power directly tothe loads as needed, and are typically operated as stand-alone systems.The battery bank provides a standby energy reservoir for the poweredsystem.

Although generally satisfactory for their intended purpose, the knownpowered systems are inefficient. As noted above, the supply of power iserratic and variable because one or more of the electrical power sourcesmay not be available at all times and, even when available, may notalways be operating at its rated nominal power condition or mosteconomical state. In addition, the loading condition of the variousloads is variable as one or more loads are brought online and offline,as well as during the course of their normal operation. Theabove-mentioned battery bank serves to compensate for such variablepower and loading conditions, but charging and recharging the batterybank takes a considerable time, thereby degrading system efficiency.System efficiency is lowered with no or poor management of which of theavailable power sources, and how much of the power from each of suchavailable power sources, is to be distributed and delivered to the oneor more of the loads that require such power, especially when all suchactions advantageously need to be rapidly performed while the power andloading conditions vary. Greater efficiency is both an economic andconservation goal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in anarrangement for dynamically and efficiently managing electrical poweramong one or more electrical power sources that supply electrical powerand one or more electrical loads that consume electrical power. Thesources can include any alternating current (AC) source, such as an ACpower grid or supply mains, any direct current (DC) source, or anycombined AC/DC source. The sources can include any non-renewable energysource, for example, one that typically burns hydrocarbon fuel inengine-generators, turbine-generators, thermal-electric generators, fuelcells, etc., or any renewable energy source, such as photovoltaic cells,wind generators, hydroelectric devices, biomass generators, solarthermal systems, geothermal systems, etc. The loads can include anyelectrical inductive loads, such as motors and ballasts for fluorescentor vapor-arc lighting, and/or any resistive loads, such as commonfilament light bulbs, and/or any capacitive loads, such as capacitivemotor starters.

The arrangement includes an input terminal connected to each source, anoutput terminal connected to each load, and a plurality of monitor nodesconnected to each input terminal and each output terminal. A pluralityof electrical power storage cells is connected among the input andoutput terminals. As described below, each cell is capable of storingpower from at least one of the sources and is capable of dischargingstored power to at least one of the loads. Preferably, each cellincludes a capacitor by itself, or a parallel combination of a batteryand a capacitor, for storing DC voltage from the at least one source andfor discharging the stored DC voltage to the at least one load.Advantageously, each such cell acts as a voltage regulator and filter,is rechargeable and has an extremely low internal resistance for rapidrecharging with a high efficiency in energy storage exceeding 95%. Thecells are preferably architecturally identical and interchangeable withone another.

The arrangement further includes a plurality of controllable switchesconnected to the cells and having control inputs for enabling eachswitch to be switched between switching states. Advantageously, eachswitch is a transistor having a gate, a base or a trigger as the controlinput. Each switch can, for example, be a solid-state switch, such as afield effect transistor (FET), especially a HEXFET or a MOSFET, or aFlipFET, or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), or a siliconcontrolled rectifier (SCR), or their equivalent, e.g., a relay. Aplurality of diodes is also connected in the arrangement to control thedirection of DC current flowing between the input and output terminals.The diodes block the flow of the DC current along unwanted paths throughthe arrangement.

The arrangement still further includes a programmed microprocessor orcontroller operative for dynamically monitoring operating conditions,e.g., operating voltages, at the monitor nodes during operation of eachsource and each load, and for selectively dynamically controlling theswitches at their control inputs to interconnect the cells in differentcircuit topologies in response to the monitored operating conditions.The controller enables each cell in one of the switching states, e.g., aclosed state, to store the voltage from at least one of the sources, andenables each cell in the other of the switching states, e.g., an openstate, to discharge the stored voltage to at least one of the loads.

The controller advantageously accesses a memory or look-up table withdata corresponding to the stored circuit topologies, and retrieves thedata in response to the monitored operating conditions. For example, insome different topologies, all the cells are connected in series and/orin parallel and/or in series-parallel with one another for chargingand/or discharging; and in other different topologies, individual cellsare selected for charging and/or discharging. The various topologies canbe simultaneously or sequentially implemented in single or multiplesteps.

The cells are preferably arranged in layers. One of the cells isarranged in a base layer, and another of the cells, together with one ormore of the switches, are arranged in a switching layer. Thearrangement, also called a module, comprises a base layer and one ormore of the switching layers. The module can have any number ofswitching layers and, hence, the module is readily scalable. This notonly reduces cost, but also enables the resolution or number ofswitching layers to be selected as desired for a particular application.The switching layers can be arranged in mutually perpendicular planes.For example, one or more of the switching layers can be interconnectedin two dimensions and lie in a horizontal or X-Y plane, and then, one ormore additional switching layers can be interconnected in a thirddimension and lie in a vertical or Z plane, thereby greatly increasingthe number of available circuit topologies that can be selected by thecontroller. Furthermore, the arrangement is symmetrical, in that theaforementioned input terminals, as well as the aforementioned outputterminals, can be located at either a right side or a left side of thearrangement, thereby enabling the external sources or the external loadsto be connected at either side of the arrangement.

Still another feature of the present invention resides in a method ofdynamically managing electrical power between each electrical powersource and each electrical load. The method is performed by connectingeach input terminal to each source, connecting each output terminal toeach load, connecting the monitor nodes to each input and outputterminal, connecting the electrical power storage cells among the inputand output terminals, each cell being capable of storing power from atleast one of the sources and being capable of discharging stored powerto at least one of the loads, connecting the controllable switches tothe cells, each switch having a control input for enabling the switch tobe switched between switching states, dynamically monitoring operatingconditions at the monitor nodes during operation of each source and eachload, selectively dynamically controlling the switches at the controlinputs to interconnect the cells in different circuit topologies inresponse to the monitored operating conditions, enabling each cell inone of the switching states to store the power from the at least onesource, and enabling each cell in the other of the switching states todischarge the stored power to the at least one load.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an electrical circuit schematic of part of one embodiment ofan arrangement for dynamically managing electrical power between atleast one electrical power source and at least one electrical load inaccordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a programmed controller for use with the arrangement of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a look-up table accessed by the controller of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 and FIG. 4 CON'T comprise an electrical circuit schematic ofanother embodiment of the arrangement in accordance with this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference numeral 10 generally identifies an arrangement for dynamicallyand efficiently managing electrical power among one or more externalelectrical power sources 12, 14 and 16 that supply electrical power andone or more external electrical loads R1, R2 and R3 that consumeelectrical power. The sources can include any alternating current (AC)source 14, such as an AC power grid or supply mains, any direct current(DC) source 16, or any combined AC/DC source 12. The sources 12, 14 and16 can include any non-renewable energy source, for example, one thattypically burns hydrocarbon fuel in engine-generators,turbine-generators, thermal-electric generators, fuel cells, etc., orany renewable energy source, such as photovoltaic cells, windgenerators, hydroelectric devices, biomass generators, solar thermalsystems, geothermal systems, etc. Although three sources are illustratedin FIG. 1, any number of sources, including just one source, can beemployed. The loads R1, R2 and R3 can include any electrical inductiveloads, such as motors and ballasts for fluorescent or vapor-arclighting, and/or any resistive loads, such as common filament lightbulbs, and/or any capacitive loads, such as capacitive motor starters.Although three loads are illustrated in FIG. 1, any number of loads,including just one load, can be employed.

The arrangement 10 includes at least one input terminal and, asillustrated, a plurality of input terminals 18, 20 and 22 (labeled IN 1,IN 2 and IN 3) connected to each source 12, 14 and 16, at least oneoutput terminal and, as illustrated, a plurality of output terminals 24,26 and 28 (labeled OUT 1, OUT 2 and OUT 3) connected to each load R1, R2and R3, and a plurality of monitor nodes N1, N2, N3, N4, N5, N6, N7, N8,and N9, each connected to the input and output terminals via a resistorR. As described below, a programmed microprocessor or controller 30 (seeFIG. 2) dynamically monitors operating conditions, e.g., operatingvoltages, at the monitor nodes during operation of the sources and theloads. The controller 30 has input pins 1-9 respectively connected tothe monitor nodes N1, N2, N3, N4, N5, N6, N7, N8, and N9.

A plurality of diodes D1, D2, D6, D7, D11 and D12 is also connected inthe arrangement 10 to control the direction of DC current flowingbetween the input and output terminals. The diodes block the flow of theDC current along unwanted paths. Monitor nodes N1, N4 and N7 arerespectively connected to input terminals 18, 20 and 22. Monitor nodesN3, N6 and N9 are respectively connected to output terminals 24, 26 and28. Diodes D1, D6 and D11 are connected between monitor node pairs N1,N2; N4, N5; and N7, N8.

A plurality of electrical power storage cells 32, 34 and 36 is connectedamong the input and output terminals. As described below, each cell 32,34 and 36 is capable of storing power from at least one of the sourcesand is capable of discharging stored power to at least one of the loads.Preferably, each cell 32, 34 and 36 includes a capacitor by itself, or aparallel combination of a battery (B1, B2 and B3) and a capacitor (C1,C2 and C3), for storing DC voltage from the at least one source and fordischarging the stored DC voltage to the at least one load.Advantageously, each such cell (also labeled B-CAP 1, B-CAP 2 and B-CAP3), acts as a voltage regulator and filter, is rechargeable and has anextremely low internal resistance for rapid recharging with a highefficiency in energy storage exceeding 95%. Advantageously, the cellsare electronic double layer capacitors, also known as supercaps orultracaps. The cells 32, 34 and 36 are preferably architecturallyidentical and interchangeable with one another.

The arrangement 10 further includes a plurality of controllable switchesM1, M2, M3 and M4 connected to the cells and having control inputs G1,G2, G3 and G4 for enabling each switch to be switched between open andclosed switching states. Advantageously, each switch is a transistorhaving a gate, a base or a trigger as the control input. Each switchcan, for example, be a solid-state switch, such as a field effecttransistor (FET), especially a HEXFET (as illustrated) or a MOSFET, or aFlipFET, or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), or a siliconcontrolled rectifier (SCR), or their equivalent, e.g., a relay. SwitchM1 is connected across cell 32 between input terminals 18, 20. Switch M2is connected across cell 32 between output terminals 24, 26. Switch M3is connected across cell 34 between input terminals 20, 22. Switch M4 isconnected across cell 34 between output terminals 26, 28.

The arrangement 10 further includes a plurality of control inputterminals 38, 40 (labeled IN A and IN B). A parallel combination, havingdiode D4 and switch MA in one branch, and diode D5 and switch MB inanother branch, is connected across terminals 38 and 26, andinterconnects cells 32 and 34. Another parallel combination, havingdiode D9 and switch MC in one branch, and diode D10 and switch MD inanother branch, is connected across terminals 40 and 28, andinterconnects cells 34 and 36. Switches MA, MB, MC and MD have controlinputs GA, GB, GC and GD. Additional switch MX having control input GXis connected via diode D3 between terminal 38 and ground. Additionalswitch MY having control input GY is connected via diode D8 betweenterminal 40 and ground.

The controller 30, as previously mentioned, dynamically monitors theoperating conditions, e.g., the operating voltages, at all the monitornodes N1, N2, N3, N4, N5, N6, N7, N8, and N9 during operation of eachsource and each load. The controller 30 detects the voltages at one ormore of these nodes, and determines, for example, whether a particularsource is supplying power, and/or whether a particular load is receivingpower. The controller 30 also selectively dynamically controls all theswitches M1, M2, M3, M4, MA, MB, MC, MD, MX and MY at their respectivecontrol inputs to interconnect the cells 32, 34 and 36 in differentcircuit topologies in response to the monitored operating conditions.The controller 30 has output pins 12-17 and 19-22 respectively connectedto these control inputs. Pin 10 is supplied with a DC voltage. Pin 11 isgrounded. Pin 18 is reserved. The controller 30, the cells 32, 34 and36, and all the switches M1, M2, M3, M4, MA, MB, MC, MD, MX and MY areDC devices. Hence, if any AC source, such as source 14, is connected toan input terminal, then an AC-to-DC rectifier (not illustrated) isemployed to convert the AC voltage to DC voltage.

The controller 30 enables each cell in one of the switching states,e.g., a closed state, to store the voltage from at least one of thesources, and enables each cell in the other of the switching states,e.g., an open state, to discharge the stored voltage to at least one ofthe loads. The controller 30 advantageously accesses a memory or look-uptable (see FIG. 3) with data corresponding to the stored circuittopologies, and retrieves the data in response to the monitoredoperating conditions. For example, in some different topologies, all thecells are connected in series and/or in parallel and/or inseries-parallel with one another for charging and/or discharging; and inother different topologies, individual cells are selected for chargingand/or discharging. The various topologies can be simultaneously orsequentially implemented in single or multiple steps.

More particularly, the table of FIG. 3 depicts the switches M1, M2, M3,M4, MA, MB, MC, MD, MX and MY across a top row. The first columnindicates whether the cells are charged or discharged. The second columnindicates the topology. An “X” at the intersection of a column and a rowindicates that a particular switch is switched by the controller 30 to aclosed state. An “O” at the intersection of a column and a row indicatesthat a particular switch is switched by the controller 30 to an openstate.

The cells are preferably arranged in layers. One of the cells, e.g., 36,is arranged in a base layer, preferably together with the diodes D11 andD12 and with the monitor nodes N7, N8 and N9. Another of the cells,e.g., 34, is arranged in a switching layer, together with one or more ofthe switches M3, M4, MC, MD and MY, and with the diodes D6 and D7, andwith the monitor nodes N4, N5 and N6. Still another of the cells, e.g.,32, is arranged in another switching layer, together with one or more ofthe switches M1, M2, MA, MB and MX, and with the diodes D1 and D2, andwith the monitor nodes N1, N2 and N3. The arrangement, also called amodule, comprises one base layer and one or more of the switchinglayers. The module can have any number of switching layers and, hence,the module is readily scalable. This not only reduces cost, but alsoenables the resolution or number of layers to be selected as desired fora particular application. The layers can be arranged in mutuallyperpendicular planes. For example, the aforementioned base layer and oneor more of the aforementioned switching layers can be interconnected intwo dimensions and lie in a horizontal or X-Y plane, and then,additional switching layers, which each include additional cells B-CAP4, B-CAP 5 and B-CAP 6, as best seen in FIG. 4, can be interconnected ina third dimension and lie in a vertical or Z plane, thereby greatlyincreasing the number of available circuit topologies that can beselected by the controller. Furthermore, the arrangement is symmetricaland bi-directional, in that the input terminals 12, 14 and 16, as wellas the output terminals 24, 26 and 28, can be located at either a rightside or a left side of the arrangement, thereby enabling the externalsources or the external loads to be connected at either side of thebi-directional arrangement.

The multiple path, symmetrical, matrix-like, architecture enables thearrangement 10 to be infinitely expandable, of low cost and highlyefficient. In some cases, the efficiency approaches or exceeds 99%. Thearrangement 10 is comprised of as many duplicate switching layers asdesired. The number of such switching layers defines the availableresolution of the arrangement. The arrangement efficiently integratesmultiple external power sources, including different AC and DC sourcesthat may vary between high and low impedances, and blends one or more oftheir available output powers for storage in one or more of the cellsand/or for delivery to one or more of the loads. If no or insufficientoutput power is available for a particular loading condition, then thecells assume the responsibility for blending one or more of theiravailable stored powers for delivery to one or more of the loads. Powerstorage or transfer can occur simultaneously or sequentially.

The arrangement 10 can be described as an intelligent energy collectorand distributor, that operates in real time. The base layer and one ormore switching layers can be mounted on a single printed circuit board(PCB). Additional PCBs having one or more switching layers can be easilyinterconnected to the first-mentioned PCB. The arrangement 10 employs asimple modular structure assembled in a repetitive pattern. The numberof cells is defined by the maximum load power and voltage resolutionrequired. Continuous or frequent monitoring of the state of the loadsand of the sources is desired. By monitoring the monitor nodes, thecontroller 30 can detect whether any particular layer or PCB isdefective, and can control the switches to bypass any such defectivelayer or PCB.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, also may find a useful application in other types ofconstructions differing from the types described above. For example, thetwo HEXFETs MA and MB and their diodes D4 and D5 can be replaced by asingle FlipFET.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as an arrangementfor, and a method of, dynamically managing electrical power among one ormore electrical power sources and one or more electrical loads, it isnot intended to be limited to the details shown, since variousmodifications and structural changes may be made without departing inany way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. An arrangement for managing electrical power between aplurality of external electrical power sources that supply electricalpower and a plurality of external electrical loads that consumeelectrical power, the arrangement comprising: a plurality of inputterminals respectively connected to the sources; a plurality of outputterminals respectively connected to the loads; a plurality of monitornodes connected to each input terminal and each output terminal; aplurality of electrical power storage cells each connected between apair of input and output terminals, each cell having a capacitor capableof storing power from a respective source and being capable ofdischarging stored power to a respective load; a plurality ofcontrollable switches connected to the cells and having control inputsfor enabling each switch to be switched between switching states; and aprogrammed controller operative for monitoring operating conditions atthe monitor nodes during operation of each source and each load, forselectively controlling the switches at the control inputs tointerconnect the cells in different circuit topologies in response tothe monitored operating conditions, for enabling each cell in one of theswitching states to store the power from the respective source, and forenabling each cell in the other of the switching states to discharge thestored power to the respective load.
 2. The arrangement of claim 1,wherein one of the monitor nodes is connected to each input terminal,and another of the monitor nodes is connected to each output terminal.3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each cell includes a battery inparallel with the capacitor.
 4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein eachswitch is a transistor having one of a gate, a base and a trigger as therespective control input.
 5. The arrangement of claim 1, and a pluralityof diodes between each input terminal and each output terminal.
 6. Thearrangement of claim 1, wherein the controller accesses a memory withdata corresponding to the stored circuit topologies, and retrieves thedata in response to the monitored operating conditions.
 7. Thearrangement of claim 1, wherein one of the cells is arranged in a baselayer, wherein another of the cells together with at least one of theswitches are arranged in a switching layer, and wherein there is aplurality of switching layers.